Internal-combustion engine.



E. M. KRAMER. INTERNAL {:OFVIBUSHONI ENGINE. APPucA norg FILED NOV. 25, 1913. r

. Patented Apr. 6, 1915 5 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

E. M.. KRAMER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1913.

1,1 34,685. Patented Apr. 6, 7 915} 6 SEEETSSHEET'2.

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E. M. KRAMER INTERNAL COMBUSHON ENGINE. APPLSCMION FILED Nov.25, 191a.

mlmlmmmlmlmm Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

5 SHBETSSHEET E. M.-KRAMER.

' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25, 1913.

1,134,685, Patented Apr. 6, 191 5...

, E. M. KRAMER.

INTERNAL comsusnou ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 25, I913.

1 ,134,685. Patented Apr. 6, 1915..

I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

J4 J3 Lfi .52

J0 Jam 1 iv UNITED STATES T OFFICE. i

nMIL M. KRAMER,- or r'ex'rolv, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

1,134,685, Specification of Application filed November 25, 1213. Serial 0. 802,856.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL M. KRAM R, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pairton, in the county of Ford and State o-f Illlnois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My primary object is to provide a novel and simple construction of internal combustion engine which may be startedwithout moving the crank-shaft of the engine, thus avoiding the necessity of manually cranking the engine.

- Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in vertical sectional elevation of an engine constructed in accordance with my invention, the engine being shown in normal condition. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the engine showing it in one. position it assumesduringthe operation of initially compressing therein the charge used for starting the engine. Fig. 3 is an irregular section taken at the lines 3 and 3 on Fig. 1 and viewed ini'the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a broken sectional View taken at the .line 4 on Fig. 3and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is view in elevation of one of the similar pivotally supported guidesleeves for the jointed pitman of the engine; and F ig.- 6 is a diagrammatic view 'of the electric ignition system for the engine controlled by the manually operating means for the engine.

The engine in connection with which. I have chosen to illustrate my invention is of the four cylinder four cycle type employing cam-operated gas-inlet valves, though I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto.

Each of the-cylinders of the engine, rep resented at 6 (one only of which is shown) and water-jacketed, as indicated at 7, surmounts a crank-case 8' through which the crank-shaft 9 carrying the cranks 10 extends and is journaled, the fly-wheel of the shaft 9 being represented at 11..

Each cylinder 6 contains in its wall a gaspassage 12 adapted to be connected with'a. supply of gas, as for example a carl'uueter in accordance with common practice: the in-- let valves for conducting the admission of the fuel into the cylinders for compression and ignition therein being represented at- 13 1 and interposed in the passages 1 2,"it being understood that there is one valve for each cylinder 6. As above stated, the valves 13 are mechanically operated', the stem 14 of each valve 13 sliding in bearings 15 and 16 on the engine-casing, springs 17 encircling the stemsl14 serving to normally hold them to their seats 12 for closingthe passages 12. Slidingly confined on the engine casing in bearings 18 and 19 therein, and arranged in line with the respective stems 14, are rods'20 which carry rollers 21 which are yieldingly held against the periphery of a cam-shaft 22 and in the path of movement of the cams 23 thereon, corresponding in number to the valves 13, the cam-shaft 22 being driven in any suitable manner in proper timed relation to the pistons hereinafter describedfor causing the inlet-Valves 13 of the respective cylinders to be opened during the intake strokes of the pistons in accordance with common practice Each cylinder Gcohtains a piston 24 which is connected with oneof the cranks 10 through the medium of a jointed'pitman formed of sections 25'and 26 pivotally con- I nected together and with the piston and respective crank 13, as indicated at 27, 28 and 29, respectively. The pivot-joints 27 are each formed of a pin 30 passing through the lower bifurcated end-31 of the pitmansection 25 and the upperfend ofthe pitmansection 26, the pin 30 being connected at its ends in a hollow cross-head 32 which slides in a cylindrical sleeve33 trunnioned, as indicated at 34, in bosses 35011 the interior of the crank case. The sleeve 32, one for each piston, are pivotally connected at their up percnds, as indicated at 36, with links 37 pivoted at their opposite ends to bell-crank levers 38 secured on a shaft 39 journaled in the engine-casing and provided with an operating handle 40 which later, when moved in the direction got the arrow in Fig. 1, causes all of the sleeves 33 to be swung-to the right in said figure to the. position represented in Fig. 2 for a purpose hereinafter explained. I

Each sleeve 33 carries a trip-finger 41 pivoted thereto at its lower bifurcated end, as represented at 42. The fingers 41, which have shouldered upperends 43:;for engaging with lugs 4.4 on the rods 20, are passed out-' engine, the sleeves 33 are maintained in the position illustrated of the one in Fig. 1;

viz. in line with the respective pistons, the sleeves 33 operating merely as guides for the cross-heads 32, and the engine operates inthe same manner as ordinary internal combustion engines, the charges drawn into the cylinders past the valves 13, timed in their operation as hereinbefore described, being fired in the cylinders by ignition plugs 47, and-the'spent charges exhausted through valves (not shown) in accordance with common practice. I

Assuming the engine to be at rest, it'is started in the following manner: The operator swings the operating handle 40 to the left in Fig. 1, thereby turning the shaft 39 and swinging the bell-cranks 38 downwardly, which causes all of the sleeves 33 to rock on their trunnions. 34 to the right in said figure to the position represented in Fig. 2. Thus operating the sleeves 33 causes the one of the pistons 24 which, when the engine is at rest, is in the uppermost position, to be moved downwardly a distance equal, or substantially equal, to that which it is moved in the normal operation of the engine. At the same time the trip-fingers ll are lifted, and by engaging with the lugs 44 on the rods20 force the inlet-valves 13 open, and thus as the last-referred to piston moves downwardly, a charge of fuel is" sucked into the cylinder. The operator then swings the handle 40 back to the position represented in Fig. l which returns all of the sleei'es 33 and pistons 24 to normal po sition Fi g. 1), thus compressing the charge which was sucked into the cylinder as just described. The charge thus compressed is fired by the ignition device 47 in the cyl inder and the, engine starts under its own power. As the distance traveled by the pistons 24 in the manual operation described depends upon the distance between the pivots 27 and 29, it will. be understood that the piston which is connected with the one of the cranks 10, which occupies the highest position, will be given the greatest movement when the handle 40 is operated as described, and that thedistances the other pistons will he moved will be correspondingly reduced, if moved at all, depending on the positions their cooperating cranks 1O occupy, the lower the crank 10 the less move ment its coiiperating piston 24 will have, when the handle 40 is operated as described. Thus when the handle 40 is swung to the left in Fig. 1, the greatest throw will be imparted to the piston 24 which occupies the highest position when the engine is at rest, whereby the effective charge is produced in thclc vlinder the piston in which is on the firing stroke.

In order to prevent accidental ignition in the cylinders during the operation of the of swinging the lever out of the position represented in Fig. :1, the illustrated ar rangement for this purpose being as follows: Supported in spaced relation are two spring clips 48 insulated from each other and adapted to be electrically connected together by the handle 40 when in the posi tion shown in Fig. 1. The clips 48 are shown interposed in"-,the ground-wire 49 from the battery 50, "the latter connecting with a binding post 5i on the spark coil 52 from which four wires 53, 54, 55 and 56 lead to the several ignition plugs 47, the terminals 47 of which in practice are grounded on the engine cylinders, and four wires 57, 58, 59 and 60-lead to the four contacts 61, 62, 63 and 6st of the rotary timer 65, the ignition systemand its various connections being commonly used and therefore not requiring more detailed illustration 'or' description.

The feature of providing a piston with a jointed connecting rod is also disclosed in my pending application for United States Letters Patent SerialQNo. 695,364, filed May 6, 1912.

While I have illustrated and described my improvements as applied to the working cylinder and piston,'wherein the charges are ignited, I do not wish to'loe understood as limiting it thereto as certain features thereof, as is manifest, may he applied to piston and cylinder mechanism, auxiliary to the working piston and cylinder, as will,

co-pending application.

Furthermore while I have illustrated and described my invention as applied to a four cylinder four cycle engine of a particular constructi on, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it to such particular construction, or to a four cycle engine of the number of cylinders stated, or even to a four cycle engine.

Furthermore, it is my desire to cover the invention as fully and completely as the prior state of the art will permit.

What I claim as new and desire to secure hv Letters Patent is: i

1. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of cylinder and piston members, said cylinder-member being adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, a rotatably mounted crank-shaft. means connecting said piston with the crank on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for moving one of said members longitudinally of the other thereof without moving said "crank-shaft and thereby drawing into the cylinder-momher and. compressing therein a charge, and

be understood from my above referred to in said cylinder-member.

means for igniting the compressed ;charge 2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of cylinder-and piston members, said cylinder being adapted to be. connected with a fuel-supply, a rotatably mounted crank-shaft, means connecting said piston with the crank on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for moving said piston longitudinally of said cvlinder withbut moving said crank-shaft and thereby drawing into the cylinder and compressing therein a charge, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

, .3; In an internal-combustion engine, the comb nation of -a crank-shaft, a cylinder adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, a' piston in said cylinder, a crank-shaft, a jointed connector connecting the crank on said shaft with said piston, means fol-flexing said connector at its joint to actuate said piston without moving said crank-shaft and thereby drawing into the cylinder and 48 "with which said connector compressing therein a charge, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

4. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft, a cylinder adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, a piston in said cylinder,'a crank-shaft, a jointed connector connecting the crank on said shafit with said piston, a shiftable guide with which said connector engages and operating-When shifted to move said piston in said cylinder, means for shifting said guide,

and (means for igniting the compressed adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply,

a piston in said cylinder, a crankshaft, a jointed connector connecting the crank on said shaft with said piston, a pivotallysupported guide with which said connector engages and operating when rocked in ops posite directions to reciprocate said piston in said cylinderand thereby drawing into the cylinder and compressing therein a charge, means for rocking said guide on its pivots, and means for igniting the compressed charge'in said cylinder. p a

7. In an internal combustion engine, th

combination of a crank-shaft, a cylinder adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply,

- a 'said cylinder, a crank s haft, a

a crank-shaft, a-

jointed connector connecting the crank on said shaft 1with' said pisto"r1;,' faj pivotally supported guide with which saidconnector engages 1t at itsoint, means for roeking sald guide in opposite dlrections for' rec'1p into the cylinder and compressing therein a charge, and means-for igniting the com pressed charge in said cylinder; I

8. In, an internal-combustion"engine,'the combination of a rotatably mounted cran'k-' shaft, cylinderand piston -me1'nbers,-sa1d' rocating said piston and thereby drawing.

cylinder being adapted to be connected with controlling communication between said fuel supply and said cylinder, means connecting said pistonwith the crank on'said shaft for rotating the latter, means for opening said valve, meansfor moving one of said members longitudinally ofthe other thereof without moving said crank-shaft.

a fuel supply, a mechanically-operated valveand thereby drawing intov the cylindermem-.

her and compressing therein a charge, and

.means for igniting the charge compressed in said cylinder.

9; In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a rotatably mounted crankshaft cylinder and piston members, said cylinder being adapted to be connected with i a fuel-supply, a mechanically-operated valve controlling communication between "said fuel-supply and said cylinder,',means connectingsaid piston with the'crank on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for moving one of said members longitudinally of the other thereof, without moving said crank-shaft, and opening said valve and thereby drawing into the cylinder-member and compress ng therein a charge,

means for igniting the charge compressed in said cylinder. v

10. In an internal-combustion engine, the

combination of arotatably-mounted crankshaft, cylinder and piston members, said cylinder being adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, a mechanically-operated valve controlling communication between said fuel-supply and said cylinder, nieansfconnecting said piston Withthe crank on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for moving said pistonlongitudinally of said cylinder and opening said valve and thereby drawing into tliecylinder and compressing therein a charge, and means for igniting the charge compressed in said cylinder.

11. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a 'rotatably mounted crankshaft having a plurality ofvcrank's, pairs of cylinder and piston members'ysaid cylinders being adapted to be connected with and 1 a fuel-supply, means connecting said pistons members of thepa-irpthereofthepi'ston of which s uppermostwhenthe engine is at with the cranks on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for :moving' one of the rest, longitudinally of the other member of said pair without moving-said crank-shaft and thereby drawing into the cylinder and compressing therein a charge, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

12. In anihternal-combustion engine, the combination of a rotatably mounted crankshaft having a plurality of cranks, cylinders adapted to be connected with a fuelsupply, pistons in said Cylinders, means connecting said pistons with the cranks on said shafts for rotating the latter, means for moving the one of said pistons which is uppermost when the engine is at rest, longitudinally of the cylinder in which it is confined, without moving'said crank-shaft and 1 thereby drawing into the cylinder and compressing'therein a charge, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

13. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a crankshaft having a plu rality of cranks, a plurality of cylinders adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, pistons therein, jointed connectors connecting said pistons with the cranks .on said shaft, pivotally-supported guidemembers with which said connectors slidingly engage, valves controlling communication between said supply and cylinders, mechanically-op erated means for operating said valves in the normal operation of said engine, means for operating said valves independently of said mechanically-operated means, means for rocking said guides, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

14. In an. internal-combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft having a plurality of cranks, a plurality of cylinders adapted to be connected with a fuel-supply, pistons therein, jointed connectors connecting said pistons with the cranks on said shaft, pivotally-su'pported guide-members with which said connectors slidingly engage, valves controlling communication between said supply and cylinders, mechanically-operated means for operating said valves in the normal operation 'of the engine, means for rocking said guides and operating said valves independently of said mechanicallyoperated means, and means for igniting the compressed charge in said cylinder.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of cylinder and piston members, said cylinder being adapted to be connected with afuel-supply, a rotatably mounted crank-shaft, means connecting said piston with the crank on said shaft for rotating the latter, means for moving one of said members longitudinally of the other thereof without moving said crank-shaft and thereby drawing into the cylinder-memher and compressing therein a charge, an

piston in said cylinder, a rod connecting the crank on said shaft with said piston and having a flexible joint, a shiftable guide with which said rod engages and operating when shifted to move said piston in said cylinder, and means for shifting said guide.

18. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a rod connecting the crank on said shaft with said piston and having a flexible joint, a shiftable guide with which said rod engages at said joint, and means for shifting said guide.

19. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a rod connecting the crank on said shaft with said piston and having a flexible joint, a pivotally-supported guide with which said rod engages and operating when shifted to move said piston in said cylinder, and means for rocki ported guide with which said rod engages at said joint, said guide being pivotally supported coincident, or substantially coinc1- dent, with said joint when the latter is at its lowest point in the stroke of said piston,

and means for rocking said guide on its pivot.

22. In an internal combustion engine, the combination. of a crank-shaft having a pin rality of cranks, a plurality of cylinders and pistons therein, means connecting said pistons with the cranks on said shaft, and means for operating the one of said pistons which is uppermost when the engine is at rest, without moving said crank-shaft.

23. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a rotatable crank-shaft,

ton and cylinder members, a source of mixed air and oil supply communicating with said cylinder, means positively connecting said piston with the crank on said shaft, and means for moving one of said members longitudinally of the other thereof independently of said crank-shaft.

24. In an internal combustion engine, thecombination of a rotatable crank-shaft, piston and cylinder members, a source of mixed air and oil supply communicating With said cylinder, means operatively connecting said piston with the crank on said shaft, and means for moving said piston longitudinally of said cylinder independently of said crank shaft.

In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft having a plurality of cranks, a plurality of cylinders adapted to be connected with a fuel supply, pistons in said cylinders and connected With said cranks, and pivoted guide'members operatively engaged by the reciprocating pistons, said guide members being pivoted at such points that when the pistons are on their firing strokes, the connection of said pistons with said guide members will be cccentric of the pivots of the latter, whereby rocking of said guide members causes the one of said pistons which is on firing stroke to be reciprocated to introduce a charge of fuel into the cylinder containing said piston.

26. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crank-shaft having a plurality of cranks, a plurality of cylinders adapted to be connected with a fuel supply, pistons therein, jointed connectors connecting said pistons with the cranks on said shaft, andpivotally supported guide members With which said connectors slidingly engage, the axes upon which said pivoted members are movable being substantially in alinement with the adjacent connectors when the pistons connected therewith are at the end of their firing strokes and being eccentric when on'firing stroke, whereby the one of said pistons which is on'firing stroke When the engine is at rest is caused to be reciprocated to introduce a charge of fuel into the cylinder containing said piston when said guide members are rocked on their pivots.

EMIL M. KRAMER. In presence of CARL A. MARTINsoN, FRANK LmpLnY. 

